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| | 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5602 Introduced 2/13/2026, by Rep. Amy Briel SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
| | | Amends the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act. Provides that the State Board of Education, the Illinois Community College Board, the Board of Higher Education, and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, in furtherance of postsecondary and career expectations, shall jointly develop a Senior Gap Semester Pilot Program. Provides that the Pilot Program shall only be offered to students eligible for grade 12 in school districts located within Regional Office of Education 35. Provides that the Pilot Program shall offer a semester-long program in which a grade 12 student may explore a profession or career within the health care industry, agriculture industry, manufacturing industry, and early childhood education industry. Requires the State Board of Education to consult with statewide organizations representing health care, agriculture, manufacturing, and early childhood education, and publish and maintain on its website a current database of employer champions for work-based learning and career readiness systems and programs in each industry. |
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| | A BILL FOR |
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| | HB5602 | | LRB104 18215 LNS 31654 b |
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| 1 | | AN ACT concerning education.
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| 2 | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, |
| 3 | | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 | | Section 5. The Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act |
| 5 | | is amended by adding Section 16 as follows:
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| 6 | | (110 ILCS 148/16 new) |
| 7 | | Sec. 16. Senior Gap Semester Pilot Program. ISBE, ICCB, |
| 8 | | IBHE, and ISAC, in furtherance of postsecondary and career |
| 9 | | expectations, shall jointly develop a Senior Gap Semester |
| 10 | | Pilot Program. The Pilot Program shall only be offered to |
| 11 | | students eligible for grade 12. The Pilot Program shall be |
| 12 | | implemented at school districts located within the Regional |
| 13 | | Office of Education 35. The Pilot Program shall offer a |
| 14 | | semester-long program in which a grade 12 student may explore |
| 15 | | a profession or career within the health care industry, |
| 16 | | agriculture industry, manufacturing industry, and early |
| 17 | | childhood education industry. |
| 18 | | ISBE shall consult with statewide organizations |
| 19 | | representing health care, agriculture, manufacturing, and |
| 20 | | early childhood education. After consultation, ISBE shall |
| 21 | | publish and maintain on its website a current database of |
| 22 | | employer champions for work-based learning and career |
| 23 | | readiness systems and programs in each industry. Each employer |